Winter Wedding Signature Cocktail Ideas

A winter wedding needs a festive cocktail menu that can warm you up and this Winter Wedding Signature Cocktail Ideas list is filled with the very best ones.

Don't forget. We have more posts about drinks to help you plan all of your libations. 

This post was written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Are you having your wedding this winter? Hopefully you live in a climate that does not have a winter season. If you don't, you might not have a lot of people traveling to your wedding.

Winter weddings feel like a subtle way of saying, "I really don't want to pay for too many people" without actually having to say it.

Lemme guess: you're probably having your wedding on a Friday or Sunday too?

What better way to beat the chill (and aggravation) of going to a winter wedding than with a menu of delicious winter cocktails?

Sooner than your guests can say, "Dammit, my leather shoes are ruined from stepping in a pile of slush and road salt" they'll be rosy-cheeked and buzzed as they savor some of winter's classic flavors.

If you recall, I wrote a post similar to this one that discussed the value of having a creative menu of fall signature cocktail ideas for autumn weddings. Well bust out the peppermint vodka because today I’m going to do the exact same thing, but for winter.

Winter Signature Cocktail Ideas

Affiliate links are included in this post and A Bride On A Budget may receive compensation if you use them.

Candy Cane Martini

When deciding on a winter signature cocktail menu, it would be a good idea to consider the proximity of your wedding to Christmas.

If it's close (but not after) Christmas, you can include holiday-themed cocktails in your menu. Not to say that there aren't enough cold weather winter warmers out there, but being able to include something like a candy cane martini would be delightfully festive.

• 1.25 ounces vanilla vodka
• 1.25 ounces white crème de cacao
• .75 ounce peppermint schnapps

Add the liquids to an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a mini candy cane and BANG! Christmas in a glass.

Spiced Apple Cider

I don't know about you, but when I think of the New York winters I was subjected to for so many years, one of the first things that pops into my head is, "Warm cider would be great right now!"

What would be even better is if that warm cider had some sort of alcohol and spices to turn it into spiced apple cider.

• Half gallon apple cider
• 1 ounce spiced run
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/8 tablespoon nutmeg
• 1/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tablespoon lemon juice

Bring the cider and spices to a boil. Dissolve the honey. Pour into a mug. Serve.

For convenience you can even make a big batch, and keep it warm in a slow cooker, then ladle it into hot cups for your guests.

Hot Buttered Rum

What discussion of winter cocktails would be complete without mentioning the age-old classic staple of all winter libations: hot buttered rum?

To round out the list of what I believe are classic winter cocktail flavors, I leave you with the following simple and boozily delicious recipe:

• 2 sugar cubes
• 2 ounces dark rum
• Pat of unsalted butter
• Hot water

Drop the sugar cubes in a mug of hot water. Add the rum and butter. Fill the rest of the mug with hot water.

If you like signature cocktails, be sure to check out our wedding signature cocktails by season:

• Spring Signature Cocktail Ideas
• Fall Signature Cocktail Ideas
• Summer Signature Cocktail Ideas

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these winter signature cocktail ideas would you add to your wedding menu?

Fall Signature Cocktail Ideas

If you don't want a full bar at your fall wedding, you can offer a few signature cocktails instead. That will be much easier for your bartenders, plus, it'll save your wedding budget. For some help choosing, check out these Fall Signature Cocktail Ideas.

We have some more posts about drinks that can help your wedding planning for other seasons.

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Having your wedding in the fall? Awesome idea. Summer weddings are nice and all, but personally I have no desire to go to another wedding where I'm so goddamn hot I wind up wearing only my pants and a tank top from the second I leave the church till the end of the night. And if wasn't for that "indecent exposure" law, I'd straight up walk around in ONLY socks. Please man, what I got to show is the opposite of indecent. Ah crap, who am I kidding? When I disrobe I can easily be mistaken for an adolescent Sasquatch or something.

So let's talk for a minute about the absolutely most important part of a wedding, next to getting a wife: BOOZE! C'mon, admit it ladies you know you agree. The selections you make regarding alcohol can make or break your wedding -- and like buying the ring, there's a lot of wiggle room. There are also some pretty creative ways to be original while saving a couple bucks.

One great way to save some dough, while also being original, is to offer a few fall signature cocktails inspired by the season instead of a full bar (we have a post all about that here).

When I think of fall, I think of the colors from my childhood in New York. We live in southeast North Carolina now so the foliage I'm used to is now mere memory. But I'd still let it inspire my signature drink menu if I was having a fall wedding!

With that being said, my mind instantly thinks dark cocktails; particularly drinks that reflect the earth tones of the season -- brown, yellow, orange, burnt sienna (thanks Crayola crayons), and all of the fantastic tone variations contained therein.

So take a look at these fall inspired cocktails and pick one or three as your signature drink.

Fall Signature Cocktail Ideas

Affiliate links are included in this post and A Bride On A Budget may make a small commission if you use them.

'Tis the season for bourbon, rye, and whiskey!

There are so many amazing drinks based on any one of these three nectars of the gods, and I'd love to share a few of my favorites that I found online. I searched the Internet for my favorite fall signature cocktail ideas so you don't have to waste time looking for them. Just enjoy the ones below.

Fall-Themed Manhattan 

A fall-themed Manhattan. Don't even get me started on how good this freakin' drink is. It's so good it's dangerous. It's like fall in a glass, and trust me you'll love it so much you'll be “FALL”-ing all over the place in no time.

It's made from applejack, rye whiskey, maple syrup, orange bitters, champagne, and an orange rind (for garnish).

Fall-Themed Cosmo 

You like cosmopolitans? Yeah, me too because they're fresh and delicious and awesome and make me dance better.

Since darker liquors aren't loved by all (as they should) be, vodka is a good alternative. 

And for good reason. Add it to anything and all of a sudden it's an instant party, resplendent with loud singing, blaring music, and (maybe) getting complained to by your neighbors.

A fall themed cosmo has vodka, triple sec, cranberry-juice cocktail, lime juice, and cranberries (for garnish).

Apple Cider Margarita

And now I've saved the best for last: apple cider margarita. Take one of the most delicious summer drinks ever made and simply move it to a new season.

Holy freaking brilliance. Nay, genius.

I don't know how many times I've fallen into a deep depression at the end of the summer. Not so much because summer was ending, but that I will no longer be able to enjoy margaritas on the beach on a Tuesday.

Now I've got an entirely new way to enjoy my other favorite season: fall.

Here's the rundown: gold tequila, triple sec, apple cider, cinnamon, sugar, apple slices (for garnish).

More Signature Cocktail Ideas:

If you like the idea of signature cocktails, but you're not planning a fall wedding, that's fine. We have a list of Spring Signature Cocktail Ideas, Winter Signature Cocktail Ideas, and Summer Signature Cocktail Ideas.

Just click on the season your wedding is in and get some great ideas.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these fall signature cocktail ideas is your favorite?

Why Pre-Cana Is Beneficial (even if you're not religious)

This Why Pre-Cana Is Beneficial (even if you're not religious) post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Pre-Cana. What? Yea, exactly. I had no idea what (or who?) "Cana" was, so my confusion only increased when I heard there was something that should be done before (pre) cana, whatever it was.

Basically, it's an event that takes place in a church and is something many couples partake in before they tie the knot. To be honest, I was glad Lisa and I did it for one important reason: It gives you and your partner the opportunity to discuss some big issues you may not have discussed on your own. So here we go. Today's topic is: Why Pre-Cana Is Beneficial (even if you're not religious).

 Why Pre-Cana Is Beneficial (even if you're not religious)

Let me start by saying that I couldn't be any less religious, so when Lisa told me there was some religious-based thing called pre-cana that we have to do before we got married, I was less than thrilled, even before I knew what it was. The fact that it was at a church, or was even tangentially connected to a church, was enough to dissuade me.

Don't jump ship yet fellas. It's not really a course, at least it wasn't for us. We went once, and I actually wound up seeing a friend there, so that was cool. We went to a bar after, which made the trip worth it. Basically, at some point in the past, a bunch of Catholic Bishops decided that the following topics are "must have conversations" couples should have before they marry:

• Spirituality/Faith
• Conflict Resolution Skills
• Careers
• Finances
• Intimacy/Cohabitation
• Children
• Commitment

Honestly, much of the fundamental subject matter wasn't even of a religious nature. The people who conduct the course are religious people, and in the end they managed to put a religious spin on all of the topics covered, but the concept itself is a good idea. For example, how many couples actually sit down and discuss finances in detail, or how they plan to resolve disagreements when they come up? In the end, the term "pre-cana" could have just been swapped with "pre-counseling" once you filter out the religious spin. That's kind of what it was.

Basically, whether you're religious or not, having a conversation with you future partner-to-be about these important topics is just a common sense good idea. Period. Well, that's my opinion anyways.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Did you attend a pre-cana class?

Having a church wedding?

Check out these posts: What Exactly Is Pre-Cana?
(And answers to all your other marriage prep questions) post.

Unknown Costs Of Church Weddings

Spring Signature Wedding Cocktail Ideas

If you love these recipes, be sure to Yum them here: Yum

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

If you're like me, your favorite temperature is the kind that's not too hot, not too cold -- like that story about those bears who eat oatmeal. Well spring is here and, depending on where you live, said temperatures have arrived. It's a great time to have a wedding too. In hot weather, wearing a tux is like hot terrible punishment ... unless you're looking to sweat off a few pounds. In frigid weather, you gotta wear long john's under your dress pants, a heavy jacket, maybe a hat or two, a couple pairs of socks, who knows. Then, if the couple wants to marry outside, you have to stand (or sit) and watch as your teeth chatter and your shivers go from a mild shake to all-out convulsions.

Good for you for choosing spring, the perfect weather to have a wedding! Spring is also my favorite time of year to drink ... because you can start doing it outside again. Spring also has the best seasonal cocktails and beers too. So without further ado, I'd like to provide you with a couple delicious spring cocktail ideas.

Spring Signature Wedding Cocktail Ideas

Moscow Mule (from Dry Fly Distilling)

For some reason, the Moscow (and Kentucky) mule has blown up recently. Personally, I don't know what the heck took so long! It's freshness and deliciousness is undeniable. I put this one first for a reason -- I'm obsessed with it. It's so good in fact that I've dreamed of filling a thermos with it and sipping on it all day. If you're a vodka fan, go for the Moscow; if you're a bourbon fanatic (like me) then try the Kentucky. Here's how ya dooz it:

• 4 ounces ginger beer (whose name seems like a misnomer; it's is actually non-alcoholic, like root beer)
• 1.5 ounces vodka
• 1/6 ounce lime juice

Fill one of those awesome silly little copper mugs or a highball glass. Pour in vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. Stir gently.

Strawberry Basil Margarita (from Creative Culinary)

If you're one of those people who read the Moscow Mule recipe and was like, "Oh goodness golly gosh ... oh my WORD ... oh boy ... but ginger is so SPICY!" ... you might prefer the strawberry basil margarita. You can get fresh with some seasonal fruit. You're just in time for strawberries. Basil too. Well, technically basil is a summer herb, but it's so easy to grow yourself any season (we're actually growing it with this kit) I'm gonna go ahead and just say it's in season. Here's how it's done:

• 8 strawberries
• 3 basil leaves
• .5 ounce simple syrup
• .5 tablespoon lime juice
• .5 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1.5 Reposado tequila (you know, the one that isn't clear but isn't dark brown either)
• .5 oz orange liqueur

Salt the rim of your glass. Muddle the strawberries, basil, simple syrup, lime juice and lemon juice in glasses. Fill with ice. In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake the tequila and liqueur. Pour into the glass.

Rum Punch (from Food Network)

Rounding out the list is a classic refresher. I mean, come on, ya gotta have rum. If you don't, people will probably leave your wedding. Okay, no, they won't. But, for me, rum conjures up images of islands, beaches, and just ultimate relaxation. It's also my other favorite liquor, taking a close second to bourbon. So rum punch is a perfect spring wedding cocktail. Here's how you make it:

• 1 ounce lime juice
• 2 ounces grenadine syrup
• 2 ounces Jamaican white rum
• 1 ounce light rum
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• 2 ounces orange juice

Pour everything into a punch bowl. Let it sit in the fridge for one hour before serving.

If you like signature cocktails, be sure to check out our wedding signature cocktails by season:

• Fall Signature Cocktail Ideas
• Winter Signature Cocktail Ideas
• Summer Signature Cocktail Ideas

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these spring signature wedding cocktail ideas sounds best to you?

Signature cocktails can help you save on your bar tab!
Get details in our Save On The Bar With Signature Wedding Cocktails post.

Wedding Toasts: Yay Or Nay?

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

We've all been to weddings. You're sitting at a table surrounded by people -- some of which you know, some you don't. You stick your fork into a piece of filet, and as you raise it to your mouth, you hear the sound of a glass clinking emanating from a nonspecific location. It starts with one, then three, then 12, then pretty soon everyone starts turning their heads aimlessly, trying to find where and who is about to make the next toast.

Oh toast, you are not just a delicious food item. You are not just a noun, but a verb. Yes toast, the old wedding tradition. Like many things in the world -- be it technology, film, literature, etc. -- the potential for good or bad lies within. It all depends on the person delivering it.

I think anyone who has been to a wedding can attest that toasts run the gamut from boring, mean, drunken, or spiteful to hilarious, engaging, nostalgic, or inspiring. With that being said, today's topic is: Wedding Toasts, yay or nay?

Wedding Toasts: Yay Or Nay?

When considering whether or not to even have a toast in the first place, I think several things need to be considered:

1. The couple.
Is either the bride or groom (or both of them) introverted? Shy? Sensitive and easily offended? If you answered "yes" to any of these, then you probably shouldn't even do a toast. The last thing you'd want to do is ruin the bride's special day that she's been dreaming about since she was a little girl. You'll never hear the end of it, and in her mind you'll always be the jerk who ruined her special day. If, however, you would actually like to have that title, then go ahead and bust out with a surprise toast, resplendent with dirty jokes and awkward, embarrassing stories.

2. The guests.
Think about the people who will be at the wedding, the best man and maid of honor in particular. Do they even feel comfortable giving a toast? In general, I don't think most people even want to do a toast. 

3. Willingness.
If nobody even wants to do a toast, don't force them. Keep in mind they may already be silently annoyed at themselves for agreeing to be in the wedding in the first place.

So if the couple has a sense of humor, aren't uptight or easily offended, and/or embarrassed, and you have a person willing to do a toast, then it's safe to proceed to consider if the person is someone who you think will actually give a good toast. Make sure you trust the judgement of the person you pick and that is someone you know will nail it in the way you want it nailed. Keep it short, sweet, funny, and engaging.

Asked to give a toast? You might want to check out this book for tips!

BRIDAL BABBLE: Are you planning on having wedding toasts at your wedding?

Does The Man Expect A Certain Reaction To A Proposal?

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Okay fellas, let's have a kinda little serious chat for a minute. If you've actually gotten to the point where you're getting down on one knee to ask your girl for her hand in marriage, I assume you've known her long enough to know how she is gonna react when you "pop the question."

Her reaction will match her personality. For example, does your significant other cry over every-freaking-thing on TV? Like when there's a commercial where there's a family doing anything even remotely happy, does your significant other say "Awwwww" as her eyes well up with tears? The commercial can be for auto insurance or cereal. It doesn't matter. Get the tissues ready. Oh and holy crap, if any part of the commercial is in slow motion? Better put on a life jacket and have a kayak handy.

Conversely, is your significant other someone who would say something like "Seriously? Me and Tiffany are going to get spray tans that day!" when you tell them your mom just died and the funeral is in two days? If so, I'm pretty sure she would probably be annoyed when you propose because it's not at a time that's convenient for her.

With that being said, I think ideally every guy hopes that his significant other will display some form of happiness when he proposes to her. How could we not have that hope, that expectation when the image of a woman crying in joy, the man on one knee as he hoists a ring up to her hand, is what we're conditioned to believe is the way a wedding proposal is destined to unfold?

Advertising makes it as if every human being reacts to things the same way. Expecting that your significant other will weep with joy and mutter the words "Oh my god yes darling YES!!!" through sobs and tears may set you up for disappointment and perceived failure.

That's why, fellas, you need to know your significant other. Happiness and joy can be expressed in a great number of ways.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What was your (or your significant other's) reaction to the proposal?

Are you getting ready to propose?
Check out Pete's post:  What Asking A Woman's Father For Her Hand In Marriage Is Really Like.

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items For People Who Love Coffee

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

In today's post we're going to revisit our old friend: the wedding registry. More specifically, particular gift ideas for a wedding registry. People love Top 5 or 10 lists,   right? Shoot man, I know I do because it saves me a lot of work when I'm lost and clueless and trying to think of a gift idea.

One of the truest quotes I've ever read is "Hell is other people." One of the best ways to deal with the stress of having to interact with other people is coffee. I don't know about you, but if I don't have coffee FIRST thing in the morning, there's a good chance I'll strangle the first person I see at work. Okay, so without further mindless rambling by me, I present to you the Top 5 Registry Items For People Who LOVE Coffee.

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items For People Who Love Coffee

1. Bean Grinder
2. Good Beans
3. Funny Coffee Mug
4. French Press
5. Good Coffee Travel Mug

A Bean Grinder

1. Bean Grinder.
I put a bean grinder at number one because as far as I'm concerned nothing beats a cup of coffee made from beans you just freshly ground yourself. It's akin to using pre-ground black pepper versus grinding peppercorns yourself. There's just no comparison. I know, I know, who the hell wants to grind their own beans, right? Ugh, just one more thing to do in the morning when you're already running late because you thought it'd be a good idea to try and squeeze in just one more episode of House Of Cards before heading out the door. Well good news! It's freaking the fastest and easiest thing on earth to do. I don't know of any other situation in life where such minimal effort reaps such monumental outcomes. The one we have is cheap, simple, and durable. I like it so much in fact, that I'm going to buy a second one to use solely to make spice blends using whole spices.

Good Coffee Beans

2. Good Coffee Beans. 
You've heard the adage "garbage in, garbage out" right? Well same for coffee. If you're using cheap crappy coffee, then guess what? Yeah, you're gonna be drinking liquid garbage. Sadly, I think so many people are just so used to drinking big brand coffee that now comes in gigantic buckets that they have no idea what they're missing. Just pay a little extra on good beans and re-read number one. You'll be glad you did.

A Funny Coffee Mug

3. Funny coffee mug.
Now that you're gonna be drinking "next-level-delicious" coffee, you've gotta have a funky and funny coffee mug to drink it out of. I'm not talking one of those misshapen, overpriced, abstract-art looking hipster mugs that tip over as soon as you place it on a flat surface. I'm talking a functional and cheap mug that reflects your personality.

French Press

4. French Press. 
If you haven't drank coffee that was made in a French Press, you're missing out on an awesome experience. I don't know how it does what it does to produce the flavor that it does, but it's super delicious. It makes your coffee taste more "coffee-ish"... that makes almost no sense and sounds completely ridiculous, but it's the best way to describe it. We've got one and I can tell you from personal experience that they're not expensive to purchase and are simple and easy to use. It's my favorite coffee-brewing method. As an added bonus, a French Press is perfect for brewing cold brew coffee. Please tell me you've tried cold brew ...

Good Travel Mug

5. Good Coffee Travel Mug. 
In the colder months, a warm cup of coffee in the morning is essential -- and something to look forward to. If you want the experience to last for as long as possible, then it is definitely worth investing in a good coffee travel mug. That way you'll be smiling all the way to work, and heck, maybe even at at work, til you've taken your last sip.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these registry items for people who love coffee is your favorite?

Really love coffee?
Check out our Thanks A Latte wedding favors.

Leap Day Proposals

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Hey fellas. So I dunno if you've heard, but apparently on Leap Day, women are "allowed" to propose to their boyfriends. Yup, if a woman wants to propose to her boyfriend, she can only do so on February 29. Once every four years and must wait for a Leap Year.

My first assumption was that it's just another sexist ancient rule in the already bizarre world of marriage, a rule probably made up back in the middle ages, a time when women weren't even allowed to talk unless they were given permission by a man.

If you look back through history, you will find countless examples of just how dumb and illogical human beings can be. I mean, at one point, people believed the sun revolved around the earth. Then along came Galileo with his idea of a heliocentric universe.

As far as the leap day proposal is concerned, it too was the result of a series of illogical beliefs. The legend is that in the fifth century, St. Brigid of Kildare complained to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, that some men took too long to propose. After hearing Brigid rant a bit, he decided to allow proposals every leap day. Oh boy, how generous of him. Personally, I don't think women have to be given permission to be allowed one day every four years to do the proposing.

(Lisa's note: So I read up a little bit on St. Brigid -- who may or may not actually exist, depending who you ask, and who may have been a child when St. Patrick died, making this story complete folklore. But aren't those the best stories? Anyway, as the rumor goes, as soon as St. Brigid got St. Patrick's permission for women to propose, she dropped to her knee and popped the question -- to him. He declined, but gave her a kiss and a silk dress. So now, the tradition is that if an Irish woman proposes to a man, and he declines, he's still on the hook for a silk gown.)

What do you think? I can think of several couples where the woman is or was frustrated as she waited to be proposed to by her boyfriend for years. Yet, despite this frustration, she continues to participate in the antiquated belief that it is the man's job to do the proposing. If she does it, it takes the pressure off the man ... and she'll get her answers about the relationship quicker too. She could wait until February 29 just to use the leap day proposal tradition as a good excuse to build up the confidence to ask. But, if you're the "she" and didn't plan anything for today, you'll still have to wait another four years for the next February 29 to roll around. Don't wait. Just pick another day and go for it.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What do you think about leap day proposals?

How To Rent A Tuxedo

This How To Rent A Tuxedo post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

So it's tuxedo time, eh? Rest easy fellas, for us, renting a tuxedo is a ridiculously simple, assembly line type process. It's actually safe to say that the whole tux acquisition experience is probably the complete opposite of what your bride is going to have to go through in order to get her dress. For them, it's a months-long process of going to (seemingly) hundreds of stores, where they try on several thousand dresses, and not liking any of them for one reason or another, then eventually finding one she thinks she likes, only to find out that it's either too expensive or, by the time she actually decides she wants it, finds out the store she found it at no longer carries it.

For guys it pretty much goes like this: 1. Find closest Men's Wearhouse 2. Get tux.

(Lisa's note: You can go somewhere other than Men's Warehouse, but we went there. A Bride On A Budget has no affiliation with MW and didn't receive anything for this post. This was just our experience and we can only write about what we know!)

It, literally, took me 25 minutes. The hardest part was getting my groomsmen to remember to order their tuxes before the cutoff date. You know, that one bum ass friend who's such a procrastinator that, at 36-years-old, still hasn't even gotten around to getting a job. Every time you call him to remind him that time is running out to order his tux, he tells you: "Oh yeah man, don't worry, I plan on doing it today" or "I get my unemployment check on Friday, I'll pick it up Saturday morning. Don't worry, I'm on top of it." You know, that guy.

So let's zoom in on the process and take a closer look. The first thing a guy has to do is drive to the closest Men's Wearhouse and pick a color. You basically have three choices: 1. Black, 2. Gray, 3. Khaki. Basically just pick the one you like most or hate least. (At our store, khaki only came in suits, not tuxedos, leaving you with two choices.) Many times, the location of your wedding and the time of year it's happening determine the color. We got married in June by the beach, so I opted for light gray with wisteria accents (vest, pocket squares, and ties) and kicks.

Once you decide on the color, you get measured, choose your other accessories (cufflinks, buttons, shoes) and that's it. The cashier hands you a receipt with your confirmation number on it, the date you need to come back to try on the tux to make sure it fits correctly (generally, it's two or so days before the wedding), and a group number for your groomsmen. They will give that group number at any Men's Wearhouse and will get the exact tuxedo you picked for your groomsmen.

After the standards are picked out, you can customize your outfit in any number of ways, if you want. Men's Warehouse sells all sorts of accessories. I planned on ordering custom-made gray and wisteria Converse All-Stars, so I picked up a pair of black, gray, and wisteria argyle socks to add some fresh pop to the whole production. I also added a matching fedora (with feather). It was my grandfather's from way back in the day, and it happened to match my tux nicely. I was going to rent suspenders, but decided not to because they'd be just one more thing I'd lose and wind up having to pay for.

When the day came for me to pick up my tux, it was as easy as running in and out. For the most part, the sizing was good. The pants were just a tad long, but I think that was just a matter of preference. For some reason I'm a pain in the ass when it comes to two things: kicks and pants. If I followed my instinct on this one, I would have had to go back and forth to Men's Wearhouse another seven or eight times before I was satisfied. I totally wasn't in the mood for all that, so I just took them as they were.

As far as I know, my groomsmen's experiences were the same. They walked in, gave the group number, and went through the measuring process. In my experience, Men's Wearhouse did a great job and appeared to have the whole tux selection process down to a science. Overall, from start to finish the process was super easy and straight forward.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What was your tuxedo rental experience like?

Want a free tuxedo rental from Men's Wearhouse?
Find out how to get one in out free tuxedo or suit rental post.

The Truth About Colored Diamonds

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

After an extended break, I am happy to be back. And just in time too! I mean, has anyone seen these commercials recently for colored diamonds? The first one I saw was for "chocolate," then there was one for "yellow." That's when I said to myself, "Really? So now they're re-branding the diamonds they can't get rid of?"

Before I even get started, let's just have a quick chat about color for a minute. What causes diamonds to be colored? Impurities or structural defects. Only pure diamonds are perfectly colorless. It is important to note, however, that not all colors are equal. The Hope Diamond, arguably the most famous colored diamond, is blue. And it's worth about $250 million ... so just a little bit more than most. Then there's Jennifer Lopez's pink diamond engagement ring from Ben Affleck that was worth $1.2 million. So more than most perfect, transparent ones.

But, famous diamonds aside, let's focus on ones that you'll probably get (unless you have a couple mil to drop on an engagement ring and, if you do, you're probably not reading a wedding blog about budgets).

If you recall from my post How To Buy An Engagement Ring: Part II, the color of a diamond greatly effects its price. The color scale goes from D to Z.

Diamonds with a "D" designation are colorless, and of the highest grade. Along with E and F diamonds, they are also the rarest types of diamonds, which limits supply. The appearance of these diamonds are most desired by consumers as well. With that being said, it follows logically that they are also the most expensive.

As you make your way down the color scale, the quality of a diamond goes down, along with price ... until you get down to Z, which is very yellow. Brown diamonds -- aka chocolate diamonds -- don't even make the chart. With all of this in mind, let's now turn to a discussion about the diamonds mentioned in those commercials I was talking about. You know them, the ones that equate diamonds with chocolate, which in my mind makes me feel like they're selling chocolate chips. Maybe it's just me, but associating diamonds with chocolate makes about as much sense as onyx to black licorice. Eh, I dunno. I mean, I get it chocolate is brown and so are the diamonds, but I feel like all that commercial accomplishes is getting  people to say, "Damn, I'm cravin' me some chocolate right now! Hey honey, we got any hot cocoa?"

BRIDAL BABBLE: Would you buy a ring with a colored diamond?

This Groomsman Gift Idea: Homebrew & Personalized Mug post, which is sponsored, is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

I'm arguably the worst at thinking of gift ideas for people. Actually, let me clarify that: I'm the worst at thinking of gift ideas for women.  I usually wind up just cooking a meal Lisa likes or just buying her a functional gift, like a bag of socks or a three pack of undies or something, you know, that you actually need.

When it comes to guys though, buying gifts is insanely simple: Booze. That's it. Pretty much every guy on Earth loves beer and has a favorite brand and style. This applies to liquor as well -- most guys have a favorite -- mine is bourbon ... just sayin', in case anyone wants to buy me booze for no good reason.

This leads me to today's topic: The groomsman gift.

Beer is the perfect gift for any occasion -- birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Flag Day, Arbor Day, or just any random day of the week just to celebrate the fact that you woke up to live another day. The greatest words ever spoken were by the person (rumor has it that it was Benjamin Franklin) who said "Beer is proof that God loves us."

And it is also proof that you love your groomsmen, you know, like, in a brotherly way.

There are a bunch of ways to do this -- from the pedestrian (giving each groomsman a 6-pack) to the original (actually brewing something special for the occasion).

You could also find a middle ground between the two and buy each groomsman a 22 oz. bottle of something special. If you go that route, I'm assuming you already know what each of your buddies favorite beer style is. If you don't, then find out. You can then go to your local bottle shop or beverage distributor and get a different bottle for each groomsman.

Brewing beer for your groomsmen is the most involved option and not a last minute idea. If you know how to brew, then you already know it takes three to four weeks to make a beer that's drinkable and fully carbonated.

If you don't brew, and you have a friend who does, perhaps he/she can brew up a batch for you.

A friend of mine just got married and his brother-in-law brewed three different beers, put them in pony kegs, and drove them down from New Jersey to North Carolina for the wedding. They were a hit!

You could also take a trip to your local microbrew pub and buy a couple pony kegs filled with deliciously fresh and dreamy craft beer. Ah man!

All this beer talk making me crave a fresh one ... hold on I'm going to the fridge.

Nice! I popped open a new beer I've never tried -- Starry Hill Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter. Been trying to stray away from IPA's for a little while.

Anyway, back to this groomsman gift idea.

While beer is the best thing ever in the history of the world, it's even better when drank out of a hilarious beer glass.

Groomsman Gift Idea: Homebrew & Personalized Mug

Lisa had a personalized mug made for my dad that had a caricature of him drawn on it, so every time he reaches to pick it up he gets to look at a hysterical cartoon picture of himself. Have one made for each of your groomsmen, and hand it to them with their beer one at a time, waiting long enough to give everyone else a chance to crack up before handing out the next one.

The mug Lisa got for my dad is the aptly named Mug on a Mug from Groovy Groomsman Gifts. You email them a photo and any text you want on the mug (a name, nickname, date of your wedding, whatever) and their artists work their magic. The mugs are free-handed and take about four weeks (the same time as your beer), so this is definitely a gift you have to think about ahead of time.

The photo we sent it for the mug is on the left. The proof sent back from Groovy Groomsman Gifts is on the right.

These mugs hold 15 oz. of liquid, so keep that in mind when you're figuring out how much to brew and gift. They're heat treated to help with durability, but the company does suggest hand washing. Placing this in the dishwasher or soaking it in a sink for an extended period of time may shorten the lifespan of the mug. Since the beer you brew won't last that long, you want the mug to last as long as possible.

We were so impressed when we got the Mug on a Mug. It looks so much better in real life than in the photo they sent over (and the photo was pretty good). In real life, you can really see the details and shine ... and the face does look just like my dad.

As far as timing goes in regards to how to best unveil this gift for maximum effect, I'd probably do it the morning of the wedding, when it's just the guys getting ready and drinking beers.

Before anybody has a chance to crack their first freshie you can say "Wait! I've got something very special for all of us to drink!" Hystericalness will then ensue.

Personalized Groomsman Gift Beer Mugs Alternatives

Like I said above, these take about four weeks to get to you. So, if you're searching for groomsman gift ideas now and love this idea but don't have four weeks, it's okay. You can't get this one, but you can still get the ones below instead.

• Personalized Frosted Beer Mug with Your Custom Photo
• Personalized Beer Stein Mug Custom with Your Photo
• Personalized Engraved Wine Glass

More Groomsman Gift Ideas

If you're still not sold on these, we have a few other groomsman gift ideas that might interest you.

• 6 Wearable Groomsman Gift Ideas
• Top 10 Groomsman Gift Ideas
• 5 Gag Gifts For Groomsman Who Love To Drink

BRIDAL BABBLE: Would you give this homebrew personalized mug groomsman gift to your groomsmen?

What Asking A Woman's Father For Her Hand In Marriage Is Really Like

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Hey, you wanna hear a story? I hope so 'cause I'm gonna tell it either way. It would behoove you to continue reading because, for better or worse, it will elicit an emotional response from you. I know for a fact that I'm going to have fun writing it because in doing so I will have the chance to relive a very exciting moment in my life -- the day I asked Lisa's parents (not just dad, folks) for Lisa's "hand in marriage." Like most of the medieval, archaic, and sexist customs associated with the marriage process, I kind of laughed out loud thinking about this one.

Being fully aware and incredibly annoyed by this fact, I decided that I would sit down with Lisa's mother and father, and ask both of them if it was okay for me to marry their daughter. To merely ask her father, as far as I am concerned, would have been a disgusting form of disrespect to her mom ... and I kinda have this thing about respecting the people I love. Side note: If it wasn't for both of our mothers, Lisa and I would have never even met.

I was nervous, I made excuses, and I subconsciously invented things to do that prevented me from having to have the "talk." The good part is that nobody knew I was doing this because nobody knew when or even if I was going to do it.  Why did I procrastinate like this? See my post on "heel dragging." It's pretty much akin to popping the question, but without the ring. By asking for permission, you pretty much become engaged on the spot.

Eventually it got to the point where I said to myself, "Okay, this is really dumb. Man up and knock it off."

I asked myself, was Lisa the one? Check. Am I going to marry her? An emphatic check. So then what was I waiting? Just DOOZ it man! So I did.

Back in those days, Lisa and I were living in different counties in New York. We would alternate Wednesdays to hang out. I would go up to see her one week, she would come to me the next week, etc. So on one particular week when it was my turn to travel to her, I told Lisa's parents I was coming up and was wondering if I could speak to both of them before Lisa got home from work. I assume they had to know what that meant. I remember the drive up, thinking about what this was going to mean, and what was to follow. I had a series of amazing visions, beautiful projections of scenes in the future. I remember feeling like that day marked a definitive changing of chapters, where the page would turn from boyhood to manhood.

Best of all is that it felt great. I was so nervous, I was sweating. But it wasn't out of fear, it was out of anticipation, it was out of excitement, it was born out of the visions I mentioned, the unknown, a brave new world where I had no idea what was going to happen, but I knew for a fact that it was all gonna be good.

When the time came, the words flowed out more easily than I had anticipated, more than likely because I spoke them with conviction. To be sure and confident in what you say always makes saying it much easier. The fear disappears.

And the reactions were varied by both of Lisa's parents. When I had finished speaking, Lisa's mom proceeded to tear up, speaking words that will make me smile until my last day (Lisa's note: My mom actually later told me that her emotional reaction is basically why most people don't also ask the moms). Lisa's dad then stood up, went to the fridge, and returned with a Corona for each of us. As he handed me a cold one, he said immortal words, "Welcome to the family, you're gonna need a lot of these."

BRIDAL BABBLE: Did you ask your lady's father for her hand in marriage?

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items A Man Needs

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.


Let me be honest: I've always considered wedding invitations the same thing as an invoice. I just wish people would call a spade a spade and say, "We're celebrating our love. Would you mind checking out the registry to see the gifts we want all of YOU to pay for?" When I expressed my opinion about wedding registries to Lisa, she somehow managed to perform some complicated mathematical mind trick on me that, for a minute, almost made me say "Oh yea, I had it ALL wrong."

Once I accepted the fact that we were going to have a wedding registry, I decided I’d make it as fun as I could. When we went to Bed Bath & Beyond to register, the first thing we did was sit down with a sales associate who helped us pick out our "regular" plates and "fancy" plates. I was already lost. Personally, I was hoping we could just pick "lifetime supply of paper plates and plastic cutlery" because cleaning sucks, but that was not an option. In a perfect world we could also have disposable pots and pans too.

When the sales associate was done confusing me (probably because I wasn’t paying attention), the fun part began -- we were set loose on the store with a barcode scanner and left to our own devices.

As we moved throughout the store, I slowly began to realize that there was some really useful and functional stuff a guy could use that's reasonably priced. In retrospect I guess I could say that I almost found a happy medium in this whole "registry" idea ... almost. Most of the stuff was reasonably priced too, and I also made sure to ask myself "Do I really need this or do I just want it?” If the answer I gave myself was the latter, we didn't scan it. If it was the former, I'd find a brand of said item that was the best deal. Now that the back story is out of the way, I'd like to share my list of the Top 5 Wedding Registry Items A Man Needs. Yeah yeah yeah, I know, before you even say it, some of you are going to say "Oh a guy doesn't need that." To which I reply, "You need to mind your own biz-ness" (haha).

Top 5 Wedding Registry Items A Guy Needs

1. A blender/food processor combo. 
The one that sealed the deal for me was the Ninja MEGA Kitchen System 1500 because it had a (pizza) dough blade attachment. So instead of scanning a blender AND a food processor, we were able to find one item that did both, and it costs less than buying each item individually. Eh, by conceptualizing the process in this way, I felt less guilty about having to do it at all. And best of all, a blender/food processor is so functional. You can feed yourself in so many ways! With just one machine you can make a pizza and a frozen cocktail to go with it. Done.
(Lisa's note: We actually use this every day to make smoothies for breakfast, pizza for dinner, hummus to snack on ... whatever the case. It is by far the most used item we put on our registry.)

2. A SodaStream. 
Yes, you need a SodaStream. Well, at least I did, and this is why: bubbly water on demand. If you're a soda drinker, this thing will pay for itself in no time. Personally, I use it to make one half of my favorite drink of all time: whiskey and soda. I also love making real ginger ale instead of drinking that crap they sell in the store that has no business having the word "ginger" printed anywhere on the label. I make my own ginger syrup from fresh ginger root, squirt a little in a glass, hit it with bubbly H2O, and BOOM! Best. And don’t get me started on the Moscow and Kentucky Mules I make ... HEEHAW! (Or whatever sound mules make. Or is that a donkey? ... Whatever, it's funny).

3. An ice cube tray that makes gigantic ice cubes. 
I forgot the name (Lisa' note: It's the Tovolo King Ice Cube Tray), but you know, those huge ice cubes people put in cocktails so your booze doesn't get watered down so fast? One of those. I had no idea how I lived this long without one of these, and they're cheap too. Gone are the days of saying "Ah, I wish there was a way to make my expensive bourbon ice cold without watering it down so fast." Well, I don't know if you say that, but I did for a while ... until I got a gigantic ice cube tray.

4. Cocktail glasses to put those gigantic ice cubes in. 
Nothing says class like drinking a cocktail out of an actual cocktail glass, even if it's the wrong one. Eventually we'll have people over who drink wine, but until then I use our stemless wine glasses to drink beer or an Old Fashioned because I just like the way they feel in my hand.

5. A pizza peel. 
Trust me, the pizza peel does more than just pull pizzas out of your oven. Same with a pizza stone. Anything that needs to be baked in the oven can be placed on the pizza stone with the pizza peel, and it'll cook extra fast since the pizza stone heats it from the bottom too. And when whatever you're cooking is done, you can just slide it right back out of the oven with the pizza peel. Hell, I've even used my pizza peel as a chopping board! I loathe uni-taskers. They're a waste of money, space and resources, so trust me on this one.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Ask your grooms. What are the wedding registry items your man needs?

Tips For Choosing Craft Beer For Your Wedding

This Choosing Craft Beer For Your Wedding post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Beer. It's necessary. Some would say that beer, in fact, makes life worth living and without it life would be a pointless waste of time. I would be one of them "some." For goodness sake it's noon on Sunday as I write this and I'm on my second beer.

If I was left to my own devices to determine the laws regarding beer consumption, distribution, and regulation, suffice to say there would in fact be no rules regarding beer consumption, distribution, and regulation. I would implement a "Social Darwinist" system where the rules would be abolished and it would be up to every human to fend for themselves; kill or be killed; drink beer or have your beer drank. But I digress.

Let's be honest: The best part of a wedding (for the guests) is alcohol. How many times have you been trapped in a church, falling asleep, feeling restless, and asking yourself "When is this part gonna be over so I can have a drink and bring da ruckus?" You then gaze all around to notice that the look on almost everyone else's face indicates that they are asking themselves that same question too. 

With the recent explosion of the craft beer movement, the types of beers and flavors you can offer at your wedding are infinitely fresh and exciting. Why limit yourself to having the old boring and flavorless two or three "choices" of beer -- usually the "Trinity Of Terribleness" as I like to call it: Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Light?

I use quotes because there is only the illusion of choice. It's really just "Hmm ... which beer-flavored water is the least horrible.?" In 2015, we actually have real choices to choose from thanks to craft beers.

Tips For Choosing Craft Beer For Your Wedding

Affiliate links are included in this post and A Bride On A Budget may make a small commission if you use them.

With this being said, there is a very good chance that some (maybe even many) of your wedding guests are into to this trend and would really appreciate having some exciting beer choices to choose from. Some may even brew themselves, and, with a subtle hint, may brew something yummy for your wedding.

(Lisa's side note: Be sure to ask your venue to see if you are allowed to bring in outside beverages. Some venues will allow this, others absolutely will not. So before your cousin decides to surprise you by brewing a keg for your wedding, make sure you are allowed to bring it into your venue.) 

The problem now is there are almost too many choices and many people don't even know where to start. It's not like liquor where you can just be like: vodka, whiskey, gin, done. With beer there are a vast multitude of styles. And to make things even more confusing, there is an amazing amount of variation within each style.

Speaking in the widest of generalities, in my experience, craft beer drinkers fall into two major categories: hop heads and those who can't stand the flavor of hops.

Hops are a very divisive and polarizing issue, so I think their abundance (or lack thereof) is a good place to lay out a simple plan on how you can choose great craft beers for your wedding. Now bear in mind, by choosing craft beer, you will not be isolating people who actually enjoy the "Trinity Of Terrible" (regardless of what they initially think). You will merely be giving them a high quality option that they will enjoy.

Case in point: I have a friend who is a die-hard fan of Bud Light and pretty much loathed the craft beer movement ... until he tried a Kolsch-style lager, the perfect craft substitute for any of the beers in the "Trinity Of Terrible." It was the perfect segue on the beer list.

You want to cover the major styles, and also keep in mind that when you do decide what beers styles you want, make sure to source them from the most local brewery you can find. This will ensure that you'll be getting the freshest beer possible and have the best beers at your wedding.

When choosing your beers, you can basically envision the process as choosing colors that range from light to dark, the lightest, least hoppy, and easiest to drink is a Kolsch. So there's choice number one. Moving down the scale, I would recommend the following:

Craft Beer For Your Wedding Recommendations

1. Kolsch

2. IPA (for the hop heads – look for a "session IPA")

3. Fruit beer (something sweet)

4. Dark beer (chocolate stouts always go over well)

How To Save On Beer For Your Wedding

Lisa here to chat a little bit about budget. Because, isn't everything really about budget when you're planning a wedding.

Figure out how much beer you need for a wedding

If you're trying to figure out how to save on beer for your wedding, you have to first determine how much beer you need for a wedding.

The general rule of thumb is account for one drink per person per hour. But honestly, I don't think that's quite accurate. For anyone over 50, sure. But in my experience, anyone under 30 is drinking closer to two drinks an hour. At least.

We had a five hour reception and I told everyone if they drank more than five drinks an hour, we won (based on the cost we paid for alcohol) and if they had less than five drinks an hour, the venue won. Our friends far surpassed that and we ended up making out on the cost.

So, my rule to estimate is 1.5 drinks per person for hour. It accounts for the more your friends will drink averaged with the less your grandma will drink. So, if you're having a five hour reception, that's 7.5 drinks per person, so round up or down depending on if you have a lot of younger or older guests.

Shop beer sales

If you're able to bring your own drinks into the venue (or if you're having a backyard wedding), you can stock up on beer when it's on sale to help save money. One of our local grocery stores has beer clearance all the time, and the beer is never expired. I'll pick it up for Pete to have at home, but if we were wedding planning, I would definitely pick it up for that.

Look for beer rebates

When we were in New York, we used to find a ton of beer rebates and we'd get free beer. We live in North Carolina now, which is really particular about this, but my parents live in Florida, which is a little more loose. So this is dependent on where you live.

But, there are cash back apps like Ibotta, which offer cash back on beer and wine all the time. And then there are sites like Beer Money Pro, which list the current (and future) beer rebates. You can break it down by state, which makes it really easy.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What craft beer is your favorite?

Why Does A Guy Drag His Heels On Proposing?

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

Hey! Shhhh ... wait ... listen ... do you hear that? Kinda sounds like a scratching sound or something ... oh wait! Look! It's the sound of another person dragging their heels. I think it's safe to say that most couples know the story: Two people meet, start hanging out, then start dating, then start living together, then start driving each other insane because one is neat and organized and the other is a slob who scatters every single thing they own all over your common living space, then the old "we've been living together for (insert time here), where is this going?" or at least some permutation of that scenario. Regardless of the specifics, I think it is safe to say that many relationships follow that trajectory, and most, if not all, include one person in the relationship getting antsy about when the other will "pop the big question."

I will fully admit that until recently I was pretty jerky and obtuse when it came to this topic. My thinking was "Ah Christ man, gimmie a break, we're living together, what's the goddamn difference? Seriously, what difference does a round piece of metal and a piece of paper to prove our love make?"

Before you pass judgment and toss me in a cell with the rest of the selfish boys in your mind, let me just tell you that my outlook has changed ... a little. You see, I had to cross over to the other side of life, the married side, in order to be able to look back and examine how I got to where I'm at. And in doing so I've had a number of "Ah ha!" (aka "Oh damn I was a real selfish jackass") moments. Actually, I guarantee I have had dozens of these moments recently that hindsight will reveal very soon.

So today, let's examine the issue through the eyes of people on both sides and find out why some people drag their heels when it comes to popping the question to the one they love. First the "guy's" side. Notice the word guy's is in quotes. I do this because I will use this word from here on in as a pejorative term that refers to the traditional style of thinking women apply to men. Being cognizant of the fact that a marriage can exist between members of the same sex, in my experience there is always one person in a same-sex relationship who will assume the role of the "guy," so the following discourse uses the word guy's as a way of thinking, and does not refer to one's gender. I know of many women who think like a "guy," and many men who do not and instead are programmed to think in a more "womanly" manner.

Now, for those of you who haven't noticed, a man's mind is quite simple. Something is or it is not. It operates in accordance with a linear stimulus/response protocol that exists in a world that is black and white. Evolutionarily speaking, this is an asset -- but when it comes to more complicated decisions this line of thinking can be problematic. Decisions are made based on whether or not the issue in question is pleasurable or not. The end. Some call it selfish; I call it efficient. With that being said, when one applies this to the concept of marriage, a guy views marriage as something that is an unnecessary step. This is proven when such lines as "We live together, and that's the same thing as being married" are muttered. And in a way, guys are right. The highest form of dedication and commitment is to take the large step of two people sharing the same living space. Why spend thousands upon thousands of dollars buying rings and planning and conducting an elaborate and potentially stressfully planning a ceremony just to prove what we already know?

Now for the women's side. Now for those of you who haven't noticed, a woman's mind is far more convoluted. It consists of mazes that have no ending, exists in three dimensions, and is cast in a wide array of colors, some of which science has not even named yet. Connections are made between events that have occurred and statements made by others that may or may not be real. A woman's thinking can at times appear to give them a sort of sixth "sense" that can read things into a situation that may or may not exist. For a woman, marriage is something much greater and profound than just sharing a living space. From what I can gather from my research on these strange, confusing, and mysterious creatures, marriage appears to be more of a "divine promise" or something. The "ultimate proof" that you love them, despite the fact that many marriages end in divorce, hence making those a colossal waste of money.

A guy will many times hear the words: Where this is going? The "this" in that elusive and confounding statement refers to the relationship as it exists in an unmarried state. It is uttered when a woman feels as if the relationship in its unmarried state has gone on for longer than she is comfortable with and feels that the "next step" (aka marriage) needs to be taken. This amount of time varies from woman to woman, but rest assured that most guys will hear these words at some point. It is as this point that an invisible clock begins ticking and the guy now has a finite amount of time to initiate the marriage process by purchasing a ring and surprising his significant other with some sort of creative proposal. "This," to a woman is the first step towards proving that you love her. Never mind the fact that you live together, share each other's hard earned money, pay for your living expenses together, have probably taken expensive trips together, and put up with each other's strange and sometimes downright disgusting living habits. To her, it's buying a ring that beings to prove your eternal dedication.

I dunno about you, but as far as my understanding can lead me to believe, it appears as if dragging one's heels is a natural and completely understandable outcome of a situation like this. An arrangement like this (where each person has such differing views) puts undue pressure on a guy. When he is pressured, he cannot think clearly and make good, objective decisions. I believe that once he can truly think for himself and come to a personal understanding on what marriage means, his heel dragging will stop.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Do you have any advice for women who are waiting for a proposal?